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NEWSCIENCENEWSCIENCENEWSCIENCE when they come into close contact, they are annihilated within a fraction of a second, releasing huge amounts of energy, usually gamma rays. In contrast, equal quantities of mirror matter and normal matter could comfortably dwell together without even being aware of the other's existence. Nevertheless, normal matter and mirror matter can interact through gravity. This is because gravity is a fundamental part of the fabric of space-time and comes about due to the effect of matter on space, causing ripples. These ripples and troughs However, because they have such a_ when they come into close contact, believed to be undetectable missing ow mass, they interact only slightly they are annihilated within a fraction mass in galaxies. Dark matter, with atoms. For this reason, they can of a second, releasing huge amounts though, would be undetectable by penetrate several light years of of energy, usually gamma rays. light, heat or any other form of densely packed matter before In contrast, equal quantities of electromagnetic radiation. interacting with an atom. mirror matter and normal matter Although physicists believe that as They are created in copious could comfortably dwell together much as 85 per cent of the Universe quantities in nuclear reactors and are without even being aware of the may be dark matter, no one had any ound coming from the Sun and stars. other's existence. idea what it was until recently. One For example, a burst of neutrinos Nevertheless, normal matter and explanation was that dark matter detected in February 1987 coincided mirror matter can interact through consists of particles called "WIMPs'— with the discovery of a supernova in gravity. This is because gravity is a weakly interacting massive particles. he mini-galaxy called the Large fundamental part of the fabric of These, in theory, interact through the Magellanic Cloud. space-time and comes about due to weak nuclear force and gravity. But the effect of matter on space, causing because they do not interact with Mirror Particles ripples. These ripples and troughs electromagnetism, they cannot be seen; and because they do not interact with the strong nuclear force, they do not react with atomic nuclei. While this is a possible explanation for dark matter, the very existence of WIMPs is yet unproved. Even if WIMPs do exist, not all physicists accept the WIMPs explanation. In December 2008, journalist Miranda Marquit wrote an article So, why do neutrinos exist only in the left-handed variety? Two Chinese-American researchers, Ong Teune.bao Lee and Chen Ning In contrast, equal quantities Yang, who in 1957 had won the of mirror matter and Nobel Prize in Physics for their normal matter could work on elementary particles, came up with an unusual and far | Comfortably dwell together reaching explanation. They | — without even being aware suggested that perhaps each ' Q subatomic particle has a "mirror of the other's existence. win". Although such a "mirror titled "What if dark matter particle’ would be invisible and particles aren't WIMPs?" She undetectable, it would preserve comments on the work of symmetry in the Universe— _ cause bodies to be attracted to one physicist Jonathan Feng, of the particularly for the lone left-handed another; thus gravitation is properly University of California, who has been neutrino! described as a space-time curvature, working with another researcher to The implication of the "mirror" not a force. So, in theory, we should find additional possibilities for dark heory is that if each subatomic be able to detect mirror matter matter—that is, possibilities other particle has a "mirror" equivalent, through its gravitational effect. than WIMPs. Feng states: “There are hen "mirror matter" must also exist: theories that there is a shadow world a wispy realm that co-exists with us Dark Matter or a Mirror World? behind ours. It is a mirror world that but is invisible. We are familiar with the well- is like ours, but doesn't interact with In our world of real matter, we are publicised photographs of spiral ours." only able to see things because of the galaxies taken by the Hubble Space The uncanny similarity between the reflections of photons. However, Telescope. These accumulations of properties of mirror matter and dark mirror matter would be invisible to us stars, looking like giant Catherine matter is now evident. because normal photons only interact wheels, rotate slowly on their central If this weird realm of mirror matter with normal matter. axes over millions of years. But for occupies 85 per cent of all matter in Let's clarify, though, that mirror them to remain intact and not fly existence, then we of the left-handed matter cannot be the same as apart, they must have a certain visible Universe are well and truly in antimatter. Antimatter consists of minimum mass to create enough the minority! However, unless there is elementary particles having the mass _ gravity to hold them together. evidence that mirror matter really and electric charge of ordinary matter, In 1933, Fritz Zwicky, in his attempt exists, this becomes academic. but with the charge and related to find out what holds galaxies Since normal matter can interact magnetic properties reversed. Matter together, came up with the concept of with mirror matter through gravity, we and antimatter are deadly enemies: "dark matter" to account for what he might wonder if there has been any However, because they have such a low mass, they interact only slightly with atoms. For this reason, they can penetrate several light years of densely packed matter before interacting with an atom. They are created in copious quantities in nuclear reactors and are found coming from the Sun and stars. For example, a burst of neutrinos detected in February 1987 coincided with the discovery of a supernova in the mini-galaxy called the Large Magellanic Cloud. without even being aware of the other's existence. cause bodies to be attracted to one another; thus gravitation is properly described as a space-time curvature, not a force. So, in theory, we should be able to detect mirror matter through its gravitational effect. Dark Matter or a Mirror World? We are familiar with the well- publicised photographs of spiral galaxies taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. These accumulations of stars, looking like giant Catherine wheels, rotate slowly on their central axes over millions of years. But for them to remain intact and not fly apart, they must have a certain minimum mass to create enough gravity to hold them together. In 1933, Fritz Zwicky, in his attempt to find out what holds galaxies together, came up with the concept of "dark matter" to account for what he 50 * NEXUS In contrast, equal quantities of mirror matter and normal matter could comfortably dwell together AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2010 www.nexusmagazine.com